Magic by Nature
by the time and effort
Summary: In 18th century Europe, Selene and her family were sentenced to death for the practice of witchcraft. Selene escapes after the village burns to the ground. Made immortal by her mother, Selene lives on her own until her travels take her to a modern day Camp Half-Blood. There she follows in the footsteps of her late father to understand the nature of magic.
1. The Fate of Mortals

**I don't own**** Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

**This was originally in my other story "The OC Army", but I have decided it should be its own story. This character belongs to****Louise Baskerville****.**

**The Fate of Mortals**

**Lene Von Tesheen:**

My very life was a secret up to this day. No, people knew of me, and I had even come to believe I had friends, but they could not know me or it would spell the death of me and the rest of my family. Why, so suddenly, had "witchcraft" become so hated by the majority?

Father always said "It's because they don't understand it. They have forgotten the past and the origin of the power granted to everyman."

People didn't like it when he said things like that. When he called them stupid or ignorant, but he was a successful man and an expert in history so he was rarely challenged. Sometimes though he would spout off truths that came close to revealing our personal history of sorcery and I would fear they would come after us, but they always got this dazed expression and seemed to ignore everything that came close to the truth.

Until today. Father must have pushed it too far. He was a curios man and often enjoyed pushing his boundaries. So when he came home, frantic with worry, auntie Lavern immediately picked up on what had probably happened. They rushed around trying to quickly trying to pack up necessities while I stood trying to understand what had happened, growing extremely nervous sensing my family's worry.

I was already about to start screaming at my father and aunt when the doors burst open unleashing a mob of men that immediately grabbed me and shoved me so deep in the crowd I thought I must have been transported in to the middle of a horse stamped. But no, soon enough the men organized enough to seize me my father and my aunt and drag us, kicking and screaming, to raised platform at the town center.

I was too scared to feel all bumps and bangs as I was dragged up the stairs. I had barely noticed that my hands had been bound or that mud had been flung at me. All I noticed was man standing tall and proud in the most civilized attire I had yet seen. And he only had eyes for the three of us, my aunt, my father, and me. Never before had I seen a man with such an intense and yet vacantexpression. It was as if his very soul had been pulled from his body and nothing remained but raw primordial hate directed at the three victims of the most wide spread misconception in the world.

"You," he spat, "have been charged with the most despicable crime of witchcraft a crime punishable by death. What have you to say for yourselves?"

"You are all fools," my father cried out. "If you would take the time to try and understand it you would see it is not magic at all. My only crime is the pursuit of unexplored knowledge, and if you kill everyone that share's this pursuit then civilization is doomed."

This only succeeded in aggravating the crowd. They booed and called out vile profanities and threw rocks. And the well-dressed man was now scowling and seething with barely controlled rage and he said, "Take them to the fields where they are to be burned at the stake!"

The mob was uproarious as they snatched us off of the stage and dragged me by the hair through the streets of town and on to the fields. It isn't a trial if the fate of the accused is predetermined. As was the case for us. When we arrived we found several men were already setting up the third steak to which we would be tied.

The crowd did not leave after we were tied. No, they were all too eager for blood, so they stayed and taunted us and smeared us in dirt and threw rocks… a lot of rocks. We all bled from the jagged stones but aunt Lavern got the worst of it. She had been growing frailer in her most recent years so every stone that struck cut and she quickly grew weary and drew short ragged breaths until peace at last. A final stone struck her temple and the light in her eyes faded and she fell limp, the weight of her body straining against the ropes that tied her body to the stake.

This sent the crowd into a jubilant uproar. Their thirst for blood temporarily satisfied they returned to the village to savor the ceremony that would come that evening. My father and I were left bruised and bleeding and gasping for breath. My head spun my vision was fogged and the aches of my body threatened to overwhelm me. I cried.

So consumed by my own grief I didn't even notice my own father hacking up blood. "Selene," he managed to say in a heartbreakingly ragged voice.

"Dad," I cried desperately following each drop of blood that dripped from his beard with my eyes.

"Don't cry Selene," he said. "You'll be all right. She'll come for you. Don't worry."

I knew he was talking about the supposed goddess that inspired his pursuits in magic. "Where is she dad? Why didn't she save aunt Lavern? Why doesn't she free us now?" I screamed enraged by his faith looking at the mark on his throat where a stone had struck.

He gave the response he had used before in such arguments. "The lives of mortals are intricately woven by the unseen forces of fate, and the only fates the gods can directly affect are the fates of their kin."

"Are we not all kin? All children of the beginning and fathers to the end?" I said. "Why save me and not you?"

"Because these matters are not of such immense proportions," he said. "You are kin to the gods and I am a mere mortal."

This stunned me so my throat clenched and my eyes burned. "Mother?" I asked.

He nodded and choked on his own ragged breath and blood. "Help will come, all you have to do is ask," he said in a voice so ragged I could feel his throat swelling shut and hear his lungs strain to gather oxygen from the blood that he had swallowed.

"Dad, please!" I screamed my own voice hoarse with grief and fear.

But he could no longer answer. His breath grew quick and desperate, and as the sun set shadows were cast over his face grossly distorting his features so when the townspeople came at last they would be burning the horrible monster they all believed him to be. My brilliant and loving father was lost forever. The only memory of him would be the evil enchanter that never existed.

Finally as the sun sank beneath the horizon my sadness turned to anger. I released from my soul a feral wail that shook the leaves on the nearby plants. "If there is even a single god that watches over this earth then surly they must smite the vile monsters that would dare disgrace my father and aunt in such a manner! Mother! My father believed you were so I pray to you no matter what happens to me I ask that you avenge my family!"

Then I dropped my head exhausted. In the darkness I became aware of the town stirring, preparing for the ceremony. Suddenly a scream. And then light began to stretch out to me from the town. I looked up to the town ablaze. The air was now filled with pathetic wails of terror and pain. All I could do was stare at the flames in amazement.

"It's a shame," said a feminine voice.

I turned my head to find the silhouette of a woman examining, not the town, but my now dead father.

I realized it at once. "Mother?"

She looked at me with eyes that glowed like the moon. "Well?" she said, "did you get everything you wanted from me?"

My eyes filled with tears once again. "Only you were too late to save him."

"Yes, well…" she said grief apparent in her voice. "As he would say we must all face fate and death is an inevitable part of life."

"Does that mean you do not live because you will never die?" I asked a bit of venom returning to my voice.

She merely smiled and said, "You are your fathers a daughter. Always curious."

This elicited another pang of sadness. "But your fate has not yet arrived," said my mother. "So I grant to you immortality until your time comes." Just like that the ropes fell away and I collapsed. "I trust that your father provided you with the necessary skills to survive."

With that she turned and faded in to darkness leaving only a black scythe in her wake. "Thank you, Nyx… Mother."


	2. Making an Impression

**I don't own**** Percy Jackson and the Olympians**

**So the idea for this story was the result of an SYOC. This character was given to me by ****Louise Baskerville**** a very long time ago and now I've decided that Selene Von Tesheen deserves more than one chapter.**

**Making an Impresion**

**Selene Von Tesheen:**

I crested a hill with a lone pine tree standing on top. I gave the tree a wide berth because of the dragon guarding it. I suspected he was just placed there to the Golden Fleece hanging from the trees low branches so as long as I didn't go too close the dragon should be no threat. Gazing in to the valley the breathtaking beauty of the camp I was told would be my new home. Trap.

All things of beauty are traps because there is a price for such beauty. I suspected the curse of this place was in its responsibility… the responsibility to fight off the evil of the world and its responsibility to house a great number of half-bloods.

Still gazing out at the camp I gave a measured glare to the blonde girl striding up the hill to greet her. No, she's not a girl. She had the energy of youth but it was clear in the woman's confident stride and easy smile that she had the experience of someone much older. She had none of the awkwardness of someone still trying to find their place in life. No shyness and no boisterous arrogance that showed a child's insecurity.

"Is this how I look after all my years of experience?" I asked myself. "No," I immediately answered. "This woman is still naïve to the cruelty of the world, but I know true betrayal."

"Welcome to Camp Half-Blood," the woman called from half way down the hill.

"Thank you," I called back. "I was told to speak to Chiron."

"He's in the middle of an archery lesson," she replied finally meeting me at the top of the hill. "I'd be happy to show you to him."

"I suppose," I said gesturing for the woman to lead the way.

They stated down the hill the way the woman came. "My names Annabeth by the way," said the woman no doubt in attempts to start conversation.

"Selene," was my curt reply. She had no intentions of getting all buddy-buddy with this stranger so I would talk as little as was required to maintain a neutral relationship with Annabeth.  
Annabeth seemed to immediately get the idea, but still said "Sorry, I have to ask, who's your godly parent?"

My immediate instinct was to give some snarky response about Annabeth's inability to figure it out, but decided a simple answer would complicate things less. "Nyx."

At first I wasn't sure Annabeth had heard her for there was no change in expression, no sign of surprise or interest at all. At least not at first glance. Looking more closely I could the slightest darkening of Annabeths retinas, a sure sign she thinking or planning. As soon as it came, though, the shadow left her eye and they resumed their journey through camp in silence.

We made our way to a group of kids being directed by the horse man Chiron himself. He noticed us immediately and directed the kids to continue. He trotted over to us smiling intently at me.

"Hello and welcome," he said.

"Thank you," I replied. "My mother said I should talk to you about living here."

"Yes. You have a bed ready in the Nyx cabin," he said. He tuned to Annabeth, "could you show her where she'll be staying?"

"I actually am missing a class I'm supposed to be teaching right now," she said. "Could you get one of your students to show her?"

I glanced behind Chiron to a blonde boy preparing to fire his bow. He saw me and shot me a wink. "I'm sure I can find it," I said turning back to Chiron and Annabeth. "Give me a few directions and I'll be fine."

Annabeth just looked at Chiron and shrugged. He gave an amused smile and turned back to his students bidding the two girls a good day.

After Annabeth had given her directions to the cabin I quickly found it and checked to see that everything was in order. Then, just as quickly, I left. I've developed the habit of knowing my surroundings, whether it is in the city or in nature. So this mission of exploration was simple and routine. Don't make eye contact and stay close to the edge of the path so as not to draw attention to yourself. Stride with purpose so no one questions where you're going or what you're doing. And remember, your goal is to get familiar with your surroundings, no reason to stay out too long.

All was going according to plan and I had nearly made it around the whole camp when I was stopped.

"Hey," said the blonde boy from the archery range stepping in front of me.

"What?" I said freezing the boy with a single word. Though there was no venom in my tone. In fact, I said it without any discernible emotion at all. The word was simply released to the wind.

The boy's incredibly white smile faltered and his brow furrowed slightly as if he were going to get angry, but he composed himself quickly. "Your new around here right?"

"And that, of course, means you should interrupt my day?" I shot.

This time he really did get angry. "I'm sorry for trying to be polite and welcome you to camp!" he spat back.

"A newbie, huh?" said a broad shouldered girl that had been walking by. Turning to come toward us she said, "That's great! Let me give you the welcome the welcome tour of the toilet!"

"Now look what you've done," I sighed.

"What!" he shouted again. "All I did was try to say hello."

"If you hadn't said anything at all," I said not shifting my gaze from the now laughing girl, "she wouldn't have noticed me." My right hand casually fell on to the scepter

The boy just gaped at me sending the girl in to another bout of laughter. After another moment of laughter the girl remembered her mission. She grabbed me roughly by the neck and promptly leapt back with a yelp releasing my neck and clutching her thigh.

She fell to the ground desperately clawing at a spot on her leg because under her jeans an angry red blister had formed. When she grabbed my neck I had ever so gently placed the skulled head of my scepter to her thigh. The spell I cast formed a flame less heat around the skull so that the lightest touch would severely burn the victim. It wouldn't be a serious injury. It would take a few hours to heal at the most with ambrosia, but the pain for those few hours would be excruciating with all that heat trapped and those jeans rubbing against the blistered flesh.

I allowed myself a small smirk before turning and heading back towards my cabin, leaving the girl writhing and the boy gaping in my wake.

**Now I've gotten all the through the chapter and realized there are some things I haven't explained, so I'm sorry but you'll have to wait until the next chapter for any kind of an explanation. Anyway, I appreciate any form of recognition for my work so I encourage reviews. **


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